Toy typewriter



Oct. 19, 1937. E. D. BOISSELIER TOY TYPEWRITER 3 Shets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 7, 1956 Earl DBdis-se liar;

Oct. 19, 1937. E, n. BOISSELIER TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Jan. '7, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet 2 z a 2 Q 2 w 2 mg 7% Q 8 CM 2 87 w ill grwcwtooEarlllBoisselier;

airman Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '1 Claims.

This invention relates to toy typewriters of the type used both foreducational purposes and amusement of juveniles.

A primary object of the invention is to provide features of constructionwhich simplify the operation and manipulation of the impression memberas well as the platen carriage feeding means, thereby enhancing thereliability and practicability of the device, while at the same timeproviding a more substantial construction which enables the operator tomore closely simulate the work produced by standard machines.

A further object is to provide a type wheel or type unit includingso-called upper and lower case characters made of metal, thereby notonly insuring clear and accurate impressions on the paper by use of aribbon, but also making it possible to make carbon copies. In thatconnection, it is proposed to mount the carrier for the type wheel insuch a way as to provide a relatively wide clearance between the typewheel and the platen in order to more clearly observe the letters beingtyped.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier for the typewheel which is constantly impelled or moved away from the platen byspring means, thus eliminating the manual operation for effecting thereturn of the type wheel to normal position, and, to also provideseparate keys respectively for typing small and capital letters withoutrequiring the setting of special levers or equivalent elements to effectthe typing of different letters.

A further object is to provide means for efiecting a manual operation tospace each letter by moving the platen step by step after a letter hasbeen typed, and to also release the platen carriage after the completionof a line for return to normal position.

A further object is to provide a novel platen and platen carriagestructure which greatly facilitates the manipulation of the paper.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will become morefully apparent as the 45 nature of the invention is better understood,the

same consists in the novel features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and defined in the ap- 50 pended claims.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved toy 55 construction.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the type wheeland its carrier, the parts being shown in their normalaat rest position.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional I view similar to Figure 3showing the relative movement and position of parts when the small typekey is pressed to type small letters.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing 1 the relative positionof parts when the capital letter key is pressed to type capital letters.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional view showing the type wheelcarrier-and means for operating the same.

Figure 7 is a detail view of the platen spacing mechanism.

Figure 8 is a view of the parts shown in Figure 7 in the positionwherein the, platen carriage feeding means is disengaged from thecarriage rack to effect release of the latter, thereby to permitshifting of the carriage or platen back to starting position.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the present device includes acasing designated generally as A, having a central raised wall portion Afor supporting the ribbon rollers R in such a position that the ribbon Rmay be pressed forward by the type wheel unit B toward the platen devicedesignated generally as C. For the purpose of effecting the feeding andrelease of the platen device C, suitable manually controlled lever meansD is provided. The latter means is located at one side of the type wheelunit B, as will be apparent from Figure 1, so that it may be manipulatedby the left hand of the typist while the type wheel unit B may beoperated by the fingers of the typists right hand. To that end, the typewheel unit B is controlled by two separate keys E and F respectively.for actuating the type wheel unit and effecting the printing of smallletters and capital letters, as desired, by the mere act of depressingthe selected key.

Referring first to the type wheel unit B, it will be pointed out thatthe same includes a metallic disk or wheel I having an upper row ofsmall letters or characters 2 and a lower row of capital letters orcharacters 3. The body of the type wheel is provided with a centralupstanding hollow boss 4 which aifords a finger grip for aiding theoperator in turning to the selected letter. The hollow boss also houses"a coil spring 5 surrounding a pivot stud 6 whereby the type wheelproper is resiliently mounted on the upper arm portion 1 of a carrier 8.holding the type wheel in the desired set or adjusted position, thebottom edge portion thereof may be notched or serrated at the locationof the various letters, thereby to receive the upper For the purpose ofend I of a drag spring I which is clamped bea sheet metal stamping andthe side flanges 8" thereof are preferably enlarged as indicated at Iand are also perforated to receive the cross pin 9. The forward endofthe arm I of the type carrier-l is tensioned by spring ll whose upperend engages with the arm while the lower end is anchored as indicated atI. (Figure 3).

Thecrosspin linthe carrier! hasthe opposite end portions thereofpivotally and shiftably mounted for vertical movement in the slots II inthe opposite parallel bracket plates l2 -l2 provided within the casing(Figure 6). Normally, therefore, the-spring ll pulls the type carrier 8away from the platen C and also causes the cross pin 8 to be pomtionedatthe bot-' tom of the slots II.

For the'purpose of manipulating the type carrier l by the keys E and 1''previously referred to,itmaybe pointedoutthatthesmall typekey E is'apart of the lever ll pivotally supported on the shaft ll mounted'betweenthe spaced bracket plates l2-l2. The forward end or nose ii of the leverI3 is intended to engage the inside face of the type carrier 8. When thekey E is depressed, it will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 3and 4 that the type carrier will be rocked toward the platen against theten-- sion; of the spring II. when the key E is released, the springwill pull the type wheel I and the entire, type unit including thecarrier -'8 back to normal position. a The capital letter key Fpreferably co of a key of elongated or bar formation as will be apparentfrom Figure 1 and is carried by the spaced arms it which are bent so asto engage within the inside faces of the bracket plates l2, thereby toreceive the pivot shaft "also positioned in the spaced bracket walls l2.The arms Ii of the lever beyond the pivot i'l converge as indicated atII to eventualLv meet as indicated at i9 and clamp therebetween a link20 which is pivotally connected thereto by the pivot element 2i (Figure3). The upper end of the link 20 is of forked formation to provide theportions 22 and 23, the latter constituting a shoulder adapted to entera slot 24 in the type wheel car rier 8 so as to provide a point ofengagement between the upper end of thelink and the type carrier abovethe pin 5 carried by the latter. When the capital type key F isdepressed, the same will be rocked on the shaft i1 thereby forcing thelink 20 upwardly which will have the eifect of initially lifting thetype wheel carrier 8 due to the fact that the cross pin 9 will slide inthe slots II and elevate the type wheel i so as to bring the capitalletters I in line for printing at the platen. After the initial movementof the type key has effected the lifting of the type wheel, itscontinued movement will cause the type carrier to rock or tilt towardthe platen and thus carry the type wheel with it.

It will, of course, be understood that the'sprlng l0 tensions the typewheel carrier, 8 against the operation of both levers I 3 and lB-ll sothat when fingefpressure on either of the keys E or F is relieved, thecarrier will be pulled back to normal position and the type wheel willbe moved away from the platen. It will also be apparent that the upperportion A of the casing A constitutesthe return abutment or stop meansfor the upper arm I of the type wheel carrier.

Referring now to the platen carriage C, it may be pointed out that thesame preferably comprises the front and rear walls 25 and 28respectively whose lower ends are flanged outwardly to be guided in theinturned channel portions 21 of a guide member 20 carried by the rear ofthe casing A. The rear wall 2 may be continued upwardly and bent intosubmtially archshaped formation as indicated at 29, andis pref- 5 erablyprovided at its rear side with a paper receivingslotflThefrontedgeisalsobentto provide a reinforced channel-like longitudinalplaten member receiving seat 20. A strip or band of hard rubber or itsequivalent 2! is arranged at the front edge of the reinforced seatportion 26' of the carriage element, thereby to provide a platen surfacefor receiving type impact imposed on the p per overlying-the platen. Theends of the front and rear carriage walls 2iand2landthearchedtopwall2lareclosed by the cap members II and respectively (1"lg ure 1).Wlthinthehouslngprovidedbytheconstruction Just described, there isprovided a paper feeding and guiding member which has a portion 30 32projecting outwardly through the slot 28 to receive and guide the paperinto the slot, and also has an interior guiding surface a for directingthe paper upwardly between the top edge of the front wall 25 and thereinforced seat portion 26 which carries the platen strip 20. The endwalls ll and II of the carriage have journalled therein a shaft ll whichis located within the housing afforded by the rear and top walls of thecarriage. This shaft is provided with rollers 35 which are preferablymade of rubb r and are intended to frictlonally grip a paper sheetpassing over the guide portions 32 and through the opening 26". Theportions of the shaft}! which project beyond the end caps II and II 3are respectively provided with operating knobs It and 31. The knob 31 isprovided with a flanged serrated disk 3| which is intended to cooperatewith a resilient lug I! or its equivalent so that the operator maymanipulate the knob, and consequently the rollers 35, step by step toobtain proper line spacing of the typed material.

The front wall 25 of the carriage, which is slidably mounted on thecasing as above described, is provided with a series of rack teeth IIwhich are intended to be engaged by the platen feeding means D. a

As will be observed from Figures 7 and 8, this platen feeding meansincludes a lever ll pivotally connected as at 42 with an arm 43 whoseforward end projects through the top portion A of the casing and isprovided with a finger grip M. The lever 43 is pivoted to the bottomside of the casing portion A as indicated at 45. The lever II is urgedin one direction by a spring it having one end anchored to an offsetportion of a lever while the opposite end is anchored as at 41 to one ofthe bracket plates i2. The lever ii is further provided with an oflsetportion having a pair of teeth 48 for normally engaging with adjoiningteeth "formed on the wall 25. It will be apparent that the spring 46tensions the lever 4| so that this normalengagement is effected. Thelever II is provided with an extension 49 adapted to overlie the end SIof a detent lever M. This is pivoted in a fixed position by the stud 52to the underside of the casing A and has an offset portion ii. Thedetent lever SI is tensioned by a spring 53, one end of which connectswith the lever while the other end is anchored to a perforated ear ll(Figure 1) of one of the bracket plates l2. The detent leveris providedwith a single tooth 55 which also engages with the'teeth of the carriageto prevent backter spacing. o

ward or retrograde movement of the carriage under normal conditions.

The finger grip 44 of the lever 43 is located adjacent a fixed fingergrip element 44 on the outside of the casing as will be apparent fromFigure 1. When the operator grips the parts 44 andM and moves 44 toward44, the lever 43 is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7,and, consequently, the lever 4| is shifted to the left and the platencarriage is moved the desired distance through the. medium of the teeth48 which engage with the toothed rack 40. When the operator releases thegrip 44, the spring 46 returns the lever 4| to normal position, and itwill, of course, be understood that the detent lever merely idly trailsover the teeth 40 when the carriage is advanced, but comes quickly intoposition to prevent backward movement of the platen carriage.

When it is desired to move the carriage back to starting position, thelever 43 is moved in the opposite direction to that which it is moved toeffect carriage feed as will be apparent from Figure 8. That is to say,the operator will move the finger grip 44 to the full line positionshown iii-Figure 8, that is away from 44, so that the inner end of thelever 43 having the depending flange portion 43 will therebycause thetoothed end of the lever 4| to be moved away from the rack 40 andconsequently withdraw the teeth 48 from engagement therewith, Thismovement of the lever 4| also disengages the detent lever 5| from therack due-to the fact that the extension 49 of the lever 4| engages thelaterally offset or upstanding abutment 5| on the lever 5| as clearlyshown in Figure 8. Accordingly, it will be apparent that the movement of43-44 to the-extreme left in Figure 8 will simultaneously cause theteeth 48 and 55 respectively of the carriage feeding and detent leversto disengage the rack teeth 4|] of the carriage. When this conditionprevails, the entire platen carriage may be shifted:

right hand entirely for printing small or capital letters without usingthe left hand to raise and lower the type disk to diiferent positions,thus leaving the left hand free for letter spacing, that is, carriagemovement. Also, the novel carriage construction provides a simple formof platenand paper feeding means which obviates the necessity of aroller. is simple and accurate and Without further description it isthought that the features and advantages of the invention will bereadily apparent to'those skilled in the art,

and it will ofboursebe understood that changes in the form, proportionand minor details of construction may be ,resorted to, withoutldepartingfrom-the spirit ofthe invention and scope ofthe appended claims.-

I claim:

1. A toy typewriter including a casing, a platen, a support within. thecasing'having slots, a rotatable type wheelunit having upper, and lowerrows of type characters, a carrier for the type wheel having meansfor-operating in the slots of the support whereby the carrier may berocked and also raised and lowered with reference to the platen,separatekey levers for actuating the car rier to cause it to tilt, andone of said levers having means for lifting the carrier.

between the flanges, offset elementscarried' by -the flanges forengagingpinwsaid slots of the body thereof, said second lever first liftand then tilt the carrier.

Moreover, the carriage feed insures uniform let- 2. In a toy typewriter,spaced frame parts hav ing slots, a rotatable type wheel, a carrier forsaid type wheel tensioned in one direction by a spring and arrangedbetween said frame parts, oifset members on the carrier for engaging insaid slots, a-lever for rocking said carrier when the offset members arein the bottom of the slots, a second lever having a link for engagingwith said carrier to first lift the same until the offset to forengaging the carrier to first lift and then tilt the carrier.

4; Ina toy typewriter, spaced frame parts hava ing slots, a rotatabletype .wheel, a carrier for said type wheel tensioned in one direction bya spring and arranged between said frame parts, 4

said carrier being of sheet metal and. having side flanges and amedially located vertical slot, 'pin portions projecting from the lowersides of the flanges and engaging in said frame slots, a lever forslidably engaging with the carrier at opposite sides of theslot therein,a second lever 'having a link provided with a shoulder normally lyinginthe slot of the carrier and adapted to engage the upper edge of the slotwhen the lever is moved to first lift and then tilt the carrier.

5. In a toy typewriter, spaced frame parts having slots, a rotatabletype wheel having rows of characters thereoma carrier for said typewheel tensioned in one direction by a spring, said carrier beingarranged between said frame parts and including a body having anangularly offset arm supporting the type wheel and having flanges formedat its'side edges with. a slot in the body frame parts, a leverengagingdirectly Twith-the body ofthe carrier for tilting the same, and a secondlever including a link adapted to engage.

directly with the carrier in the said slotof,-.th e

being adapted to 6, In a toy typewriter, spaced frame parts, a typewheel carrier spring tensioned in one direc.- tion and mounted for,sliding movement between. said frame parts, and separate key levers-foractuating said carrier, one of said levers having a sliding engagementwith the .carrier and the otherhaving a flexible connection therewith totype characters, means for manually selecting f the characters desired,said means comprising a key lever for small type and akeylever for largetype, and a carrier for said type'unit mounted for shifting movementand; having a slot, saidkey' lever for the small type charactersengaging the 1 carrier to actuatethe same, and. said. key lever for thelarge type characters having a pivoted link. for engaging with an edgeof said slot inthe carrier to shift the same when the last mentioned keylever is moved. l

' EARL D. oIs s'EmER. ';5'

